Federal Skills Trade Program
Embark on Your Canadian
Journey With FSTP
The Federal Skilled Trades Program is one of the immigration pathways offered by the Government of Canada to attract skilled tradespeople from around the world to become permanent residents in the country. This program is one of the three programs managed by the Express Entry System. It is designed to address the shortage of skilled workers in specific trades and industries within Canada.
Eligibility Criteria:
To be eligible for the Federal Skilled Trades Program, applicants must meet the following criteria:
Have at least two years of full-time work experience (or an equivalent amount in part-time work) in a skilled trade within the past five years. The work experience must be in a skilled trade that is listed in Canada’s National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. Skilled trades for the Federal Skilled Trades Program are organized under these groups of the National Occupational Classification (NOC):
- Major Group 72, technical trades and transportation officers and controllers
- excluding Sub-Major Group 726, transportation officers and controllers
- Major Group 73, general trades
- Major Group 82, supervisors in natural resources, agriculture and related production
- Major Group 83, occupations in natural resources and related production
- Major Group 92, processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors, and utilities operators and controllers
- Major Group 93, central control and process operators and aircraft assembly assemblers and inspectors, excluding Sub-Major Group 932, aircraft assemblers and aircraft assembly inspectors
- Minor Group 6320, cooks, butchers and bakers
- Unit Group 62200, chefs
You must show that you performed the duties set out in the lead statement of the occupational description in the NOC. This includes all the essential duties and most of the main duties listed.
Candidates must have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer for a continuous period of at least one year, or they should possess a Certificate of Qualification issued by a provincial or territorial authority in Canada.
Applicants must demonstrate sufficient language proficiency in either English or French, Canada’s two official languages meeting the minimum Canadian Language Benchmark score of 4 for reading and writing, and Canadian Language Benchmark score of 5 for speaking and listening skills
- There are no specific educational requirements for the Federal Skilled Trades Program. However, having a higher level of education can enhance an applicant’s overall profile.
Applicants must demonstrate that they have enough funds to support themselves and their family members during their initial settlement in Canada.
| Number of family members | Funds required(In Canadian dollars) |
| 1 | $13,757 |
| 2 | $17,127 |
| 3 | $21,055 |
| 4 | $25,564 |
| 5 | $28,994 |
| 6. | 32,700 |
| 7. | 36,407 |
| If more than 7 people for each additional family member | 3,706 |
Application Process
To apply, candidates need to follow these general steps:
Review the eligibility criteria to ensure you meet the minimum requirements
If eligible, create an Express Entry profile online. The Express Entry system is a points-based system that manages applications for three economic immigration programs: Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, and Canadian Experience Class.
Upon creating a profile, candidates are assigned points based on factors such as age, education, work experience, language proficiency, and other adaptability factors. Those with higher points are ranked in the Express Entry pool.
Regular draws are conducted from the Express Entry pool, and candidates with the highest scores receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence.
After receiving the ITA, candidates have a limited time to submit a complete application for permanent residence, including supporting documents and fees.
Applicants are required to undergo medical examinations and provide police clearance certificates as part of the application process.
If the application is approved, the candidate will receive a Confirmation of Permanent Residence, allowing them to immigrate to Canada as a permanent resident.
Express Entry Draws And ITA
The Minister issues the Invitation to Apply to candidates in the pool, depending on the cut-off score. If the candidate is invited to apply, they must submit their application for permanent residence within 60 days.
